AuthorTopic: Upcoming Audio Workshop...HELP!!! (Read 568 times)

My church is having a Worship Summit with the theme: "Igniting a passion for Worship". Since I am the Audio Team Leader, they expect me to lead a class in this summit! People from other churches and ministries are registered to attend as well as a few of my team members.

What am I going to tell them? Trust me, I am praying and asking God to make me a blessing to them. I was advised to "speak my heart" by my leaders. The attendees are paying for this event. I want to give them something for their money.

You might consider focusing on TEAM. These days, so much worship music is very heavily PA and tech dependent. It's worth considering that the tech team(s) are NOT separate from the worship team(s) or musicians. For the most part its THE Worship Team - the worship team Includes the tech people. Sure they're on different sides of the instrument or microphone, but they have to work together to accomplish their vision.

We're coming to that in my church and it's a LOT better situation than before where the worship team was separate from the tech team.

Maybe that's a good direction.

The tech stuff can be learned and will constantly change. The sound, the lighting, the video, all may be present or not, but inasmuch as the musicians lean into the technology, the tech people lean into the musicians to make the whole team work.

I always start by explaining signal flow and show a diagram. Then I take away the diagram and ask them to tell me correctly what is said. When you get the "what?!" look, tell them you have to do that for all of you inputs and outputs and know how all of the mic, instruments, amp and speaker are supposed to connect correctly. All of this before you can do a sound check.

Since it appears you may not be comfortable teaching the technical aspects of audio for worship, focus instead on the personal and practical aspects, possibly including:

How to work together as a team with your fellow techs

How to work together with the worship team -- really, you're not two separate teams. You are separate parts of the same body with the same mission.

How to work with different personalities (performers, pastors, congregation)

The importance of acoustics and system design being a part of the complete design of a new facility (i.e., hire an acoustician to work with you and the architect during the design of your space, rather than taking a band-aid approach)

How God can help you meet your needs. You need to communicate those needs to not just your team and church leadership but to the congregation as a whole as it affects the entire congregation.

The message is the whole reason for the church, and the technical systems are key to delivering that message. A good technical system can be a significant portion of a facility's cost, both in terms of initial capital outlay, and in maintenance and operation. In order to meet the needs of the congregation, it should be treated no differently than any other aspect of church construction and operation, from the stained glass windows to the toilet tissue in the restroom.

One of the biggest problems HOW tech teams report here on PSW is poor budgeting and poor interaction with others. These issues are far greater than any technical issues you will face and can't be fixed by buying equipment. Helping others address the personal and practical issues will go a long way to improving the technical issues.

"Acoustics and Sound Systems in the Contemporary Church" The contemporary church is built around communication - verbal, musical, and emotional - as well as worship. The minister communicates with the congregation by preaching, leading prayers, and announcing church activities. Music attempts to communicate ideas and concepts while it simultaneously enhances the worship experience through emotional involvement. The acoustics of the worship space have a profound effect on all of these functions. This article explains these complex issues in plain English for the non-technically inclined.http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/ContempAcoustics.pdf

"Why Churches Buy Three Sound Systems, and How You Can Buy Only One" Most churches are so afraid of buying sound systems that they do it three or four times before they finally end up with one that works well enough to meet their needs! Here's how you can do it right the first time.http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/3Times.pdf

1. We have the most important and fun job is sound. We hake it possible for people to hear the plan of salvation and the in attic to accept Christ. Wow. I always put the cans on so that I here it completely through "my system"

2. Christ used the highest tech available. Example, when he spoke to the 5000+ He went out in a boat so the cool air flowing across the water and up the hill would carry his voice.

Keep it simple, go over the basics. Assume that the listeners know nothing.

Some ideas for pertinent points: the differences between omni, cardioid, hyper-cardioid mics.

A practical demonstration of feedback and how to control it.

Mention the 3 to one rule for ambient micing (choir mic) and when it is sometimes OK to violate it.

The importance of having mostly the same vocal mics to make mixing the praise teem / back up vocals easier.

Receiver placement of wireless mics.

Audience participation in problem they have encountered and solution they have come up with.

Hands on mixing experience expressly for those who have never done it.

The importance of cooperation from the band in keeping the total volume controllable.

The use of drum shields.

The proper way to turn on/off the system (amps on last, off first).

You could probably fill a good hour with just basic info. The great benefit the non-techs would gain a greater understanding of what is involved and come to realize it not necessarily magic easy to accomplish.